Australia's biggest infrastructure investor, IFM Investors, says it is keen to purchase pipeline assets that struggling oil and gas players may be forced to offload amid a collapse in oil prices. IFM will likely line up at the looming auction of a similar gas pipeline at Santos's GLNG venture in Queensland in a sale that could fetch about $6 billion.

Updated | Macquarie Group will undertake a capital raising to help fund the $5.1 billion acquisition of an AWAS portfolio of 90 planes, capping its second large purchase of an aircraft fleet in the past five years.

Western Australia has lost its world No.1 ranking for mining investment, with lobby groups pointing the finger at hefty royalty payments and taxes that can gobble as much as 47 per cent of mining companies’ profits.

The energy sector has been knocked around by a plunging oil price and investors won’t rule out a Santos equity raising, but there is opportunity for companies with the firepower to launch acquisitions.

Malcolm Turnbull has lauded Tony Abbott as an intelligent, courageous, brave and thoughtful man but added the only attribute that really matters is that the Prime Minister has the majority support of colleagues.

Updated | Macquarie Group will undertake a capital raising to help fund the $5.1 billion acquisition of an AWAS portfolio of 90 planes, capping its second large purchase of an aircraft fleet in the past five years.